Continuous electric socket constructions



May 10, 1955 D. we. BOYD 2,703,254

commuous ELECTRIC SOCKET CONSTRUCTIONS 7 Filed 061:. 20, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 1 DEAN mccopm/cx 50m INVENTOR.

BY 5W ATTORNEY y 1955 D. we. BOYD 2,708,264

CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC SOCKET CONSTRUCTIONS Filed Oct. 20, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 V. v g 8 DEAN McCORM/CK BOYD 46 INVENTOR.

BY %ww ATTORNEY United States Patent CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC SOCKETCONSTRUCTIONS Dean McCormick Boyd, Decatur, 11]., assignor to ClarenceT. Hewitt Application October 20, 1954, Serial No. 463,545

6 Claims. (Cl. 339-21 This invention relates to continuous electricsocket constructions.

The invention is more particularly concerned with an electric outlet orsocket construction which is continuous in the sense that it is adaptedto extend continuously around the four walls of a room and provides forplugging in of a male member at any point throughout its length.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a continuous orelongated electric outlet or socket construction which is particularlycharacterized in a normal substantial concealment of the electriccurrent conducting contact members by yieldable means which readilypermit insertion of the prongs of a plug into contact with said membersat any desired point throughout the length of the socket construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel connectorelement for removably connecting adjacent ends of elongated electricoutlet or socket constructions of the general character above referredto.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will ber come apparent inthe course of the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a perspective view ofan elongated section of an electric outlet structure in accordance withone embodiment of the invention and wherein the cooperat-' ing elementsare shown in end elevation.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view as observed in the planeof line 2-2 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the structure of Fig. 2 in frontelevation in the upper half thereof and the lower half in verticallongitudinal section in the plane of line A-A.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view as observed in the plane of line4-4 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the retractible membersinvolved in the construction.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a cord plug in operativeposition.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental elevational view of a modified embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view as observed in the planeof line 8-8 on Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 8 but showing a cordplug in operative position.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the elongated metal casing.

Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the casing and which, together withFig. 10, are on a reduced scale.

Fig. 12 is a perspective View of a connector element embodied in thestructure of Figs. 7 to 11.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and first to Figs. 1 to 6,thereof, 10 designates an elongated body which may constitute abaseboard whereby the structure may encircle a room adjacent the floor.The structure may, however, be embodied in an elongated section for anyparticular adaptation. The above referred to body 2,708,264 Patented May10, 1955 "ice 10 may be constructed of any desired material but same ispreferably constructed from plastic as indicated.

The body 10 comprises upper and lower horizontal flanges 11 and 12 and agenerally U-shaped intermediate portion 13 providing an outwardlyopening recess 14. The body 10 at the juncture of flanges 11 and 12 withthe intermediate portion 13 is provided with upper and lower horizontalrecesses 15 and 16 which open inwardly toward the intermediatehorizontal plane of the body 10.

Disposed within the body 10 is a continuous metallic casing 17 includinga rearwardly projecting cupped portion 18 and upper and lower forwardchannel portions 19 and 20 whose base portions are seated in therecesses 15 and 16.

Disposed within the metallic casing 17 is a continuous body member 21preferably of plastic construction as indicated and same includes threeoutwardly projecting flanges, an upper flange 22, a lower flange 23, andan intermediate flange 24.

The intermediate flange 24 is provided with a vertical head whichprojects equally above and below the flange and is in vertical alignmentwith the channels 19 and 20.

The flanges 22, 23 and 24 together with the base of body member 21 andthe head 25 provide upper and lower elongated chambers 26 and 27 whichopen forwardly between the flanges 22 and 23 and the upper and loweredges of the head 25.

A continuous electric contact metallic spring strip 28 is disposedwithin each of the chambers 26 and 27 and each such strip includes atransversely arcuate plug prong engageable portion 29 which normallyengages a respective flange 22, 23.

Cooperating with the head 25 and vertically aligned therewith are upperand lower series of elements 30 whose adjacent edges and the oppositeedges of head 25 provide continuous upper and lower plug prong admissionslots 31 and 32.

The elements 30 of each series thereof are provided with cooperatingvertically disposed tongues and grooves 33, 34 respectively whereby theelements are individually movable toward and from the respective edgesof head 25.

The elements 30 of each series thereof are jointly yieldably urgedtoward the respective edge of head 25 by a corrugated leaf spring 35disposed in the bottom of each channel 19, 20.

With this construction, the prongs P (Fig. 6) may be admitted throughthe normally substantially closed slots 31, 32 at any desired pointlengthwise of the structure due to the yieldable action of the elements30 and upon insertion of the plug the prongs P thereof will engage thecontact portions 29 of the contact strips 28 and urge same inwardly asindicated in Fig. 6.

In the modified construction of Figs. 7 to 12, the individually movableelements 30 are omitted and all parts entering into the construction arecontinuous. This embodiment of the invention also includes a body 10'having upper and lower flanges 11' and 12 and a generally U-shapedintermediate portion 13' providing an outwardly opening recess 14'.

This structure also includes a continuous metallic casing 17 havingupper and lower channels 19' and 20'. In this embodiment, however, thecasing 17' is provided with upper and lower longitudinal series ofstruck-out P spring tongues 40.

ment, connecting elements 44 (Fig. 12), are provided.

Such connecting elements each comprise a central'disk.

45 from each opposite side projects upper and lower cylindrical segments46.

In the use of such elements in eflecting connection betweenadjacent endsof two elongated sections of the structure, a small notch is cut in theend of each section to accommodate the disk 45 which is preferably ofplastic construction. The longitudinally extending segments are engagedwith the contact strips 23 with the adiacent sections as is indicated inFig. 9; 7

.Having' set forth my invention in accordance with certain specificstructural embodiments thereof, what I claim and desire to secure by U.S. Letters Patent is:

l. A'continuous electric socket construction comprising an elongatedbody having inwardly directed upper and lower horizontal flanges and anoutwardly opening recess intermediate said flanges, a continuousmetallic casing disposed within said body including an inwardly directedcupped portion disposed within said recess and upper and lower channelsopening toward each other,

a body member disposed within said casing including upper and lower andan intermediate flange projecting outwardly from a base portion seatedin the bottom of said cupped casing portion, said intermediate flangehaving ahead in vertical alignment with said channels and includingupper and lower plug prong engageable edges defining corresponding edgesof continuous prong admitting slots, and yieldable means at the outeredges of said upper and lower flanges. having portions movably disposedin said channels and other portions cooperating with said head edges anddefining the opposite edges of said prong admitting slots which arenormally substantially closed.

2. The structure according to claim 1, together with a continuouscontact strip disposed within said body member between the. intermediateflange thereof and each of the upper and lower flanges, said contactstrips hav ing prong engageable arcuate portions normally enga ing saidupper and lower flanges.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said yieldable meanscomprise a longitudinal series of independently vertical movableelements in each of said channels, and yieldable means in each channeland en-- gaged with said elements for yieldably urging same toward therespective edges of said head. p

4. The structure accordingto claim 3, wherein said elements havevertical tongue and groove connections between the adjacent ends,thereof.

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said yieldable meanscomprise heads on the outer edges of said upper and lower flanges havingportions movably References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,072,703- Beersman Mar. 2, 1937 2,243,990 Thorn et al.June 3, 1941 2,279,516 OBrien Apr. 14, 1942 2,477,803 Huber Aug. 2, 1949

